Desert Rain
by Nara Shikamaru
Summary: Based on an Iced Earth song, Desert Rain. Contains spoilers for GAARA. My take on what Gaara would be like after the Chuunin Exam. I hate the happy-sappy Gaara people want.


The sympathy in my mind is growing cold  
  
Life is like the burning sand so I'm told  
  
The time is coming near when solitude appears  
  
Take the chains of oppression away  
  
Through the sands of time I'm marching on  
  
The blistering rays of hate strengthen me  
  
The violent mass has shown my destiny  
  
Does all of this justify the rage inside  
  
The desert rain is changing me  
  
It's called on me to rise  
  
A world of hate and malice  
  
Yes, that's the way it seems  
  
The hour glass is running out  
  
The serpent rides with me  
  
We shall rise and conquer  
  
Crushing all that's weak  
  
All that's light is burning out  
  
The serpent rides with me  
  
_______________  
  
He was Gaara, the demon who loved only himself. The demon whose mother had died cursing his birth, whose uncle had given his life in an attempt to destroy him, whose father tried countless times to assassinate him. He had lived through it all, unscathed. He was UNSTOPPABLE. Nobody could HURT him. The only pain he had ever felt was when he realized just how many people had betrayed him, but now that pain fueled him. It had shown him the light, his purpose.  
  
He was meant to kill every single person on this earth. That was his purpose in life, the driving force that kept him moving. It was a clear, unmistakable purpose, that nobody had the right to interfere with.   
  
So why, then, were three of these leaf-nin a ble to harm him? It was unfathonable. Precious people? Nobody held him precious, and he no longer held anybody precious. Your personal nindo? He fought for his goals alone, that was true strength.  
  
If people did not agree with his strength, they would die anyways. To prove yourself? He didn't need to prove himself. He was Gaara, people feared him.  
  
No, those three had disrupted his beliefs. It didn't help that the snake-man Orochimaru had betrayed his village, although from the start he had no intention of helping those who wished to use him then destroy him. But his defeat from that boy.. that Uzumaki Naruto.. that was what hurt him the most. Not the physical pain, but showing that a boy like that could conquer his TRUE strength, that was the pain he felt. It wasn't really self esteem that was crushed.. it was his beliefs in life that were crushed.  
  
So if he had been beaten, did that make him wrong? Maybe he should continue after his body healed, continue his quest to destroy all mankind. Heh, he never thought his body would be harmed this badly. He never got tired out.  
  
Perhaps it would be better if he tried to be like that boy, the one who had crushed his beliefs and given him a chance at life once more. Maybe he should fight for those he cared for, for the things and people he held most sacred, to prove himself something great despite the monster inside him. No, not despite, but with. Using the monster inside to help the world.  
  
Temari and Kankurou wouldn't be afraid of him any longer, maybe. Maybe the village would accept him then, and not fear him. Maybe, just maybe, somebody would be his friend. Like that boy with the blonde hair.   
  
If the need arised, maybe he could help destroy the Sound nins that so easily betrayed them. Maybe the Sand could be a true ally to the Leaf after they worked out their differences with his power. That would be an idealistic world, and it would take a lot of work.  
  
...   
  
Who was he kidding? Shukaku wouldn't stand for it, it's not like he was sealed away like the demon inside of the loud one. His mother wouldn't let him go without the taste of that rich blood she desired. No, anything else wouldn't do for him.They had disrupted his beliefs, but he still believed in them, if because Shukaku and Kaasan made him. It didn't matter, he felt that's what he wanted anyways.  
  
As he thought this, he almost thought he felt a tiny ping of guilt. The three Leaf-nin had showed him one of the things he had always wanted to experience, physical pain. It was almost pleasant. Perhaps when they met next he'd get to experience more before he killed them.   
  
Yes, he was Sabaku no Gaara, the demon of the sand who loved only himself. He would continue his quest to experience life, to rid the world of mankind slowly. He briefly wondered what it would be like to kill his siblings, but decided it couldn't be that hard, not if his father would so easily betray him.   
  
Grinning to himself, Gaara looked up at the blood red moon which let him feel the sensations of life almost as clearly as taking life from others. A sandstorm had started in the desert again. Perhaps he should seek out Orochimaru again, maybe he could help him reach his true strength.  
  
None the less, his goals stood clear. He would rise to meet his destiny in this world of malicious hate and conquer. He would crush the life out of the weaklings that stood before him, and burn the light of hope from their minds.   
  
He had been created for one purpose, and that purpose was to rid the planet of all life.   
  
With all doubt erased from his mind, he stood, lifting the gourd onto his back. It was a ... beautiful red moon. He anticipated the desert rain tonight and the seering sun tomorrow. 


End file.
